. . . "For instance, (said he,) the fable of the little fishes, who saw birds fly over their heads, and envying them, petitioned Jupiter to be changed into birds. The skill (continued he,) consists in making them talk like little fishes." While he indulged himself in this fanciful reverie, he observed Johnson shaking his sides, and laughing. Upon which he smartly proceeded, "Why, Dr. Johnson, this is not so easy as you seem to think; for if you were to make little fishes talk, they would talk like WHALES."

In this lively exchange between Oliver Goldsmith and Samuel Johnson, Goldsmith critiques the tendency to impose grandiosity on simplicity. He uses the whimsical example of little fishes wishing to become birds, noting that their charm lies in their modest scale and natural simplicity. The key, Goldsmith argues, is to maintain authenticity in their dialogue, avoiding the temptation to inflate their voices to grandiose proportions—like making them speak with the bombast of whales. This metaphor highlights a broader literary principle: the importance of preserving the essence and character of one’s subject. Goldsmith's witty remark captures the balance between humor and insight, illustrating his cleverness and the dynamic between him and the often more serious Johnson.